The wreck is the Dannebroge, the Danish flagship from the Battle of Copenhagen in 1801, and the discovery was announced on Thursday, 225 years to the day since that battle. The Dannebroge was sunk by Admiral Horatio Nelson and the British fleet during the Battle of Copenhagen, and it was 48 meters (157 feet) long. Commanded by Commodore Olfert Fischer, the Dannebroge was Nelson's main target during the battle, which is considered one of Nelson's 'great battles' and saw thousands killed and wounded. According to The Independent - Main, Morten Johansen, head of maritime archaeology at Denmark's Viking Ship Museum, described the ship as a big part of the Danish national feeling.
Cannon fire tore through the Dannebroge's upper deck before incendiary shells sparked a fire aboard, and the stricken ship slowly drifted northward and exploded. The sound of the Dannebroge's explosion created a deafening roar across Copenhagen, marking a dramatic end to its role in the conflict. The exact condition of the wreck and how much of it remains intact are not yet fully known, but marine archaeologists have discovered two cannons, uniforms, insignia, shoes, bottles, and part of a sailor's lower jaw at the site. The part of a sailor's lower jaw found might belong to one of the 19 unaccounted-for crew members who likely lost their lives that day, though what specific new insights about the battle have been gained from the wreck discovery remains unclear.
It's a big part of the Danish national feeling.
Divers are working 15 meters (49 feet) beneath the waves in thick sediment and almost zero visibility to unearth the wreck, and the excavation is being led by Denmark's Viking Ship Museum. Marine archaeologists began surveying the area late last year, targeting a spot thought to match the flagship's final position, and the excavation has been ongoing for months. The wreck is located in a spot that will become a construction site for the Lynetteholm housing district project, a megaproject to build a new housing district in the middle of Copenhagen Harbor, expected to be completed by 2070. The exact timeline for the excavation before construction begins on the Lynetteholm project has not been confirmed, adding urgency to the archaeological efforts.
The British intention in the battle was to force Denmark out of an alliance of Northern European powers, including Russia, Prussia, and Sweden, and Nelson eventually offered a truce, with a ceasefire later agreed with Denmark's Crown Prince Frederik. The battle is believed to have inspired the phrase 'to turn a blind eye', and according to The Independent - Main, Admiral Horatio Nelson described his perspective by remarking that he had only one eye and a right to be blind sometimes after deciding to ignore a superior's signal. According to The Independent - Main, Morten Johansen described how a great deal has been written about the battle by very enthusiastic spectators, but we actually don't know how it was to be onboard a ship being shot to pieces by English warships, and some of that story we can probably learn from seeing the wreck. He also noted that it was a nightmare to be on board one of these ships, as when a cannonball hits, it's not the cannonball that does the most damage to the crew, but wooden splinters flying everywhere, very much like grenade debris. Plans to preserve or display the recovered artifacts from the Dannebroge, and how many artifacts have been recovered in total, are still under consideration as the excavation continues.
A great deal has been written about the battle 'by very enthusiastic spectators, but we actually don't know how it was to be onboard a ship being shot to pieces by English warships and some of that story we can probably learn from seeing the wreck.
It was a nightmare to be on board one of these ships. When a cannonball hits a ship, it's not the cannonball that does the most damage to the crew, it's wooden splinters flying everywhere, very much like grenade debris.
I have only one eye, I have a right to be blind sometimes.